Eight Hawai'i boxers are hoping to cash in on a boxing stimulus package Saturday.

Thanks to a world championship bout featuring Waipahu's Brian Viloria, eight other Hawai'i boxers will get opportunities to fight on the undercard.

"I feel fortunate just to be on a pro card here," said Isaac Arasato, a fighter out of Palolo Gym who is scheduled to appear in the opening bout of the card. "I know a lot of fighters wanted to be on this card. I have to make the most of it."

Viloria will defend his IBF light flyweight world championship against Mexico's Jesus Iribe in the main event of the "Island Assault" card at the Blaisdell Center Arena.

There will be seven other bouts, and four of them will be all-Hawai'i matchups.

"Boxing is a business and it's been slow here, just like the economy," Arasato said. "This might be the jump start we need."

Boxing in Hawai'i has been in a great depression for the past decade. The last significant card in Honolulu was held six years ago, when Viloria last fought here.

Up-and-coming fighters like Arasato and Mike Balasi of Kalihi have been waiting patiently for rare opportunities to box for pay in Hawai'i.

Balasi, for example, turned professional in 2001, but has had just eight bouts since.

"Boxing is my passion, that's why I'm still in it," said Balasi, 28. "But it's hard. I work (as a truck driver) from 7 in the morning to 3:30 in the afternoon, then I train after that. It's a rigorous schedule, but that's what I have to do."

Mixed martial arts has supplanted boxing as the most popular combat sport in Hawai'i.

Balasi grudgingly learned wrestling and jiu-jitsu two years ago so he could stay active in MMA during the boxing dearth.

"I didn't like MMA, not really," he said. "I had to learn groundwork for the first time ... I basically did it because that was the only way to get fights here."

In recent months, Balasi has been able to fully focus on boxing.

"It's pretty big that Brian (Viloria) is fighting here," he said. "It's giving me a chance to fight on a pro card."

Balasi, who trains out of Kalakaua Gym, often represented Hawai'i alongside Viloria at youth boxing tournaments in the 1990s. Balasi said he understands why Viloria's career skyrocketed and his did not.

"Brian was ranked No. 1 in the country every year when we were kids," Balasi said. "The highest I got was No. 6. When you're the No. 1 guy, you're going to get way more opportunities."

Bruce Kawano, head coach at Kalakaua Gym, said the only opportunities for Hawai'i boxers in recent years have been in small shows, or on the undercard of MMA shows.

"We can not be satisfied with that," Kawano said. "Brian is our only hope right now, but there's so many others who want to follow in his footsteps."

Saturday might also turn into an opportunity to impress a professional manager — like Viloria's Gary Gittelsohn — or promoter.

"You don't know who's going to be in the crowd watching you," Arasato said. "Who knows? You might get lucky and catch that one break, catch the eye of one guy who could take you to something bigger."

Kawano said Gittelsohn has already inquired about some of the Hawai'i undercard fighters.

"Gary said he's going to keep an eye out," Kawano said. "So hopefully one of these guys puts on a good show and be the next Brian Viloria."

Arasato is scheduled to face Hilo's Donald Gonzalez; Balasi will face Hilo's Toby Misech.

In other bouts involving Hawai'i fighters, Justin Mercado will face Richard Barnard, and Ku'ulei Kupihea will meet Shalae Padilla.

The other three undercard bouts will feature boxers from the Philippines and Mexico.

One of the intriguing boxers from the Philippines is AJ Banal, who has a record of 19-1-1, including 16 knockouts. He is ranked No. 20 in the world in the flyweight division. He will face Mexico's Jose Angel Beranza (32-15-2).

An intriguing fighter from Mexico is Alfonso Gomez, who is a former semifinalist from the reality television series "The Contender." Last year, Gomez lost a world title bout to Miguel Cotto.

In 2007, Gomez defeated former world champion Arturo Gatti.